Four to six companies are presently in negotiations with a consulting group hired by Livingston County in search of the operation of a nursing home.

Livingston County presently owns and operates the nursing home Livingston Manor.

The 122-bed home had only 57 residents last month and projected to lose a half-million dollars this year.

A consulting firm is reviewing the pending proposals. A decision by the County Board could be made by Jan. 1.

County nursing home chairperson Arnold Natzke updated the board at a latest meeting.

Andrew Cutler, vice president of FR&R Business Acquisitions, said the consulting firm has been following the timeline set by the county board.

"We have received proposals from a variety of entities and we are presently in the review state," Cutler said. "At first, there were about a dozen groups in the project but now we are presently working with four to six."

Cutler would not say what businesses were interested, but said some were nursing home organizations. He would not mention where the businesses are located.

Livingston County wants to collaborate with a group or business to, ultimately remove the county from the manor's operation and long-term financial commitments.

The request for proposals says the new partner will have to make sure a sufficient number of beds, together with a portion of Medicaid beds, to care for county residents.

The partner also must agree to raise a nursing home in Pontiac, using the purchased or transferred license of Livingston Manor.

The county is ready to make a financial commitment by using money collected from the landfill host-county agreement with Allied Waste Industries (NYSE:AW PRC) (NYSE:AW PRD) (NYSE:AW) , a probable $23 million.